On the Basis of Sex

On the Basis of Sex

Starring Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates

Directed by Mimi Leder

The Story:
Six years after Harvard began accepting females to its law program, Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Felicity Jones) decides to enroll after her husband Martin (Armie Hammer) has been there two years, and is immediately met with opposition and segregation simply due to her sex.

After graduating the top of her class, she can't find a job in New York City, and decides to teach at a university instead.  During this time, Martin discovers a case where a single caregiver is denied a tax deduction simply because he was a male, and the law specified it was only for women.  Taking the case, Ruth Bader Ginsberg decides to revolutionize the law and make it equal for both genders, and begins an uphill fight for equality.

The Synopsis:
During the most recent Presidential election, there was a lot of talk about breaking the glass ceiling when Hillary Clinton received the Democratic nomination for President.  Typically serving as an invisible barrier that keeps a certain demographic from rising beyond a certain level, the glass ceiling for women has been cracking for decades, and this is due to the likes of pioneers like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who saw the injustice that women faced in the law, and set out to change those laws forever - and succeeded.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a fascinating woman, someone you'd never expect at first sight to be such a visionary pioneer.  She stands at a demure 5'1'', but rises tall against the men who decided to oppose her.  Yet she doesn't do this like you'd expect a woman's lib extremist to do, but rather works with the men in her life to achieve their shared goals, and never proclaims that she herself solved it.  Seeing her life is like watching a true superhero at work, as she never gives up in her pursuit of justice, and uses her incredible intellect to make her voice heard.

Felicity Jones gives a commanding performance as Ginsberg, who's equal parts gusto and politeness, who is always the smartest person in the room.  Much like her other real-life role as Stephen Hawking's wife in "The Theory of Everything," she manages to encapsulate everything RBG stands for, and ultimately draws us to the screen.  Equally, Armie Hammer shines as Ruth's husband Martin, who never takes a backseat to her ambitions.  Instead of butting heads as you'd expect them to do - he serving as the breadwinner while she seemingly tries to usurp his authority - the two work in perfect tandem, maintaining a delicate balance that's built on a firm loving foundation, and tells one of this century's most underestimated love stories.

The film not only focuses on the relationship between Ruth and her husband, but on the landmark case that began this history maker's career.  Ruth Bader Ginsberg wanted to argue against the basis of sexual discrimination, but all the men around her never saw a problem with it.  However, she finds a case where a man is getting discriminated against on the basis of sex, and this is where she differentiates herself from overly-crazed feminists: while they would laugh at the idea and call it justice, she decided to fight for him, because she believes in equality for all sexes.  The result is a benchmark decision that began the slow eradication of sexual discrimination, and at the forefront of this movement is this mountain of a woman, who showed more bravado and guts than almost anyone, and led her to a seat on the United States Supreme Court, earning herself the nickname "The Notorious RBG," and achieving cult culture status in which she serves as an inspiration for millions of women - as well as men.

The Summary:
Standing tall in the face of opposition, Ruth Bader Ginsberg served as a trailblazer for women's' rights, and "On the Basis of Sex" serves as a great biopic that tells her story, delivered by the amazing Felicity Jones.

The Score: A+